Rain run.

Waking up to a gloomy morning, it's hard to get out of bed and muster up the energy and motivation to go for a run. All it takes is a few rain sprinkles and my mind hurries to think of something else I would rather be doing than going for a run in the rain. I could read that new book I picked up, get an early start in the studio, fold some laundry, but no. Part of committing to running outside means actually following through.

Ever since the weather's turned somewhat decent I've decided to stop running on the treadmill and actually hit the pavement. Basically because it's more challenging. And exciting.

With new tennis shoes, and 1.5% of my normal motivation, I set off this AM for a 4-miler. No big deal but it's the getting out there that's the challenge. I decided to run to the dilapidated swing in the woods a few miles away. Once I got there, I looked around to make sure no one was watching and grabbed on to the PVC pipe handle (wet with rain, mind you) and ran off the ledge, swinging wildly in the rain like a chimpanzee.

And now you ask, was it worth it? Running with blurred eyesight? Wet clothing? Smudges on your new tennis shoes? Freezing hands? My answer is yes, it was.

There is something about the rhythm of your feet hitting the sidewalk, jumping over puddles, no one else insight. I feel like this it the way nature is intended to look, gradually becoming more alive, more green and refreshed with a morning shower of raindrops.

Punch.

There is nothing, and I mean nothing even close to the goodness of a picnic in the park involving Punch Pizza. That's all I have to say.

Fuschia pink.

I picked this up at ULTA earlier this week thinking it was the perfect summer color, and I was totally right. Just a couple of coats leaves a really beautiful shade on my nails which I prefer to a hot mess color that screams RIDICULOUS! Instead, this shade screams SUNSHINE and MARGARITAS and KENNY CHESNEY and TOP-DOWN IN THE SOLARA! I could scream these summer words all night long!

Green thumb.

Never before have I dated someone even remotely interested in plants. Yet, he is a different man on many levels, so I shouldn't be too surprised that he has a green thumb, among other traits.

We spent a little while at the green house, picking out mint plants. Peppermint, spearmint, and chocolate mint. Under the science light they will stay until the ground is ready to plant them in. Then they will grow like crazy and be the ultimate main ingredient in our refreshing summer mojitos.

Unique gift registry.

I had a great idea this afternoon as I was searching through Megan's wedding registry at Target. What if there was a way to create a gift registry for your event (baby, bah mitzvah, etc.) that would let you include all the things in the world that you could possibly wish for.

Obviously the most important items for a wedding are those that accessorize your new home, but let's be real. Do you really want a cordless hand vac featuring an 18 volt Lithium-Ion battery? No, of course not, you want a vanilla Granturismo S Maserati with tinted black windows and the biggest, most best sound-system you can find... oh and it has to have Lambo doors.

If I could make a registry and have one item on it. This would be it. A vanilla Granturismo S Maserati. Someone can buy the midnight leather seats. Someone else can purchase the steering wheel (titanium, please) and yes, Grandma, you can purchase the bi-xenon headlights with headlight washing system. Thanks!

One of my favorite parts of this vehicle is the three-pronged trident on the grill... extremely-pimpin-Mermaid if you ask me. This would leave my house virtually empty on all levels, but the beautiful beast, just waiting to go for a spin in the garage, is worth all the knots in our backs from sleeping on the hard floor each night with nothing but a sheet.

God Clouds.

Driving home this morning, I was witness to a beautiful landscape of God Clouds. That's what I call these lovely, fluffy, marshmallow clouds that look as if God is sending heap-fulls of angels into our air space, telling them to, "Go, do wonderful things for wonderful people who are wonderful.'

Contents.

In all the girlie magazines, they show pictures of the contents inside celebrity's purses. I wanted to pretend for just one second that Glamour was coming over this morning for my own purse-content-photo-shoot and decided to dump my bag out to see what it would showcase. If only I had thought about this a bit, I would have thrown a few ridiculous, and useful, items into this beautiful bag, like oh, a slingshot, maybe a lime for Coronas, possibly even a roll of duct tape for my next abduction.

Ha, no, let's be real here. Always.
The contents of my purse as of this moment include:

1. Set of upper & lower Crest Whitestrips.
2. Pair of cheap sunglasses.
3. Coach zippered card holder.
4. Victoria Secret foo-foo spray.
5. Ulta nail polish in Fuschia Crush.
6. Pack of Stride gum in Nonstop Mint.
7. Lip chap.
8. Travel-size bottle of anti-bacterial.
9. Dove milk chocolate eggs (3) for Michael.
10. Car keys to the Solara.
11. Tim Venne's business card.
12. Cell phone that is utterly unreliable on all accounts.
13. Ticket stub to Sugarland concert.

Earth day.

After this morning's run I took a minute or two to lay on the deck, with the doggy and a glass of ice water, marveling at this amazing place called Earth. The fact that we are fortunate enough to walk around outside without smog-masks is a blessing, but even better than that is this land of 10,000 lakes. I've said it once and I'll say it again, living on a lake is one of the greatest aspects of my life.

Quote for the day:
"Take nothing but pictures.
Leave nothing but footprints.
Kill nothing but time."

I tip my tall glass of ice water to you, fabulous Earth, and toast to that fact that I'm growing up on the most amazing planet in the universe. *Cheers

Chipotle.

You know what's a good test of willpower?
If you want an item of food bad enough, run 3.7 miles first.
Then, upon finishing, if you still want it, have it.
You deserve it.

Glorious Mr. Tufted Puffin.

Today at the Como Zoo we witnessed a show above all shows. In the aquarium building the tufted puffins were having a fiesta. Well, one in particular was. He would swim in the water super fast, dive down to the bottom like a bullet, swim speedy-fast to the surface, pop like a champagne cork, flop in the air like a dolphin, and then repeat, throwing in a few glass window slams every now and then to add some flavor.

If all zoo animals acted in this fascinating way, I guarantee zoo attendance would hit an all-time high, thus donations would be abundant, thus the economy would turn around, thus children and adults alike would be in good spirits. Thank you for the optimistic showmanship this afternoon Mr. Tufted Puffin.

No, that logic doesn't make much sense but this is my daily photo album, not yours, so hush! :P

Living life abundantly.

There are many ways to live an abundant life. Abundant meaning "richly supplied" or "more than adequate". Eating guacamole would be one of those abundant-living activities. Here at the Hill House, we call ourselves the guac-masters. Not a week goes by that we don't make a batch of guacamole (usually my little sister is the chief guac-chef), crack open some Coronas, and savor all those heart-healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats.

Yes, too much avocado might not be a good thing. But, just enough is positively wonderful. I never thought I'd find myself saying this, and it may just be the summer weather messing with my brain, but I would choose a Corona and scoop full of guacamole over ice cream right this minute. In my world, that's like saying you would choose working versus going on vacation.

... it NEVER happens.

Sugarland.

"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate
I believe that happiness is something we create
You best believe that I'm not gonna wait
'Cause there's gotta be something more "

Michael and I went to the Sugarland concert last night and it now ranks up there on the top 3 concerts I've seen. Jennifer and Kristian are my new best friends and some of the most talented musicians on our planet. Embrace them. Turn up some of their songs, make a margarita, and go dance on your deck, the very way summer should be celebrated and welcomed.

Breakfast.

After a super long day, and pretty interesting promotional event at McCoy's in Uptown, I'm beat. Exhausted.

And there is literally nothing to say about my daily photo besides:

this was my breakfast and it was good.

Channeling my inner Beckham.

Let’s be real… before April, most of my shoes came from cheaper stores. I have the nicer stuff too, but for so long I felt like I needed to invest in some leather, a few different heel heights, and shouldn’t break the bank to do it. Fed up, I decided I work too damn hard to not treat myself to something fantastic and at the time that treat has come in the form of a pair of black, leather, 4.7 inch heel stilettos designed by Miss Simpson, found at DSW. I adore everything she does because it’s fancy; you can dress it up with a bebe dress or down with jeans and a tshirt. She rocks black, gold, silver, flowers and does them all really well. Her new spring line has just come out and while I’m mulling over which pair to add to my growing collection why don’t you go and get a start on your own!

Starry Morning.

For some reason I couldn't sleep this morning. 1:30am rolls around and I'm still awake, starring at the ceiling, my mind racing with all that I need to get done this week. I decided to grab a 1:30am-snack (because I can't call it a midnight snack now can I?...) and wandered down to the kitchen.

My hands brushed past boxes of cereal and crackers next to the cans of soup in the pantry. I grabbed some pretzal sticks and shuffled over to the sink for a glass of deliciously-refreshing agua. Check out the site my eyes were privileged to... a handful of stars and a beautiful moon shining down on the lake like a spotlight. I know I posted a picture last week about the lake and the reflection it receives from sun and yes, moon, too. But I'm still amazed at the fabulous sights I'm so fortunate to feast my eyes upon, even if it means being awake at 1:30am to capture them.

Meet Judy.

Isn't she beautiful? She lives across the street from Michael's house in Batavia. I walked over to her yard during our last road trip and asked if I could pet her.

When I saw her out wandering this morning, I ran right across to meet her. I sit and pet her and then stop petting her and she lifts her huge polar bear paw up so I will continue to pet her. She is a Newfoundland and weights 110 pounds.

Her name is Judy and she is the bestest, most gorgeous dog ever. And I want her.


Photograph courtesy of Michael Stoner.

White Sox.

We went to the White Sox v. Twins game on Saturday afternoon and as much as I like watching Twins games in the dome... it is nothing compared to the open, blue-sky, sunshine field that is U.S. Cellular in Chicago.

Don't even get me started on the fans, they are above and beyond diehards for their athletes. It's inspiring to see such passionate people cheering on such a beautiful April day. For the entire game the sun shined down on the four of us, securing my intuition that spring is here to stay.

April 11th in the Park.

Saturday morning was spent walking around downtown Naperville, looking at all the shops that I cannot get enough of. We strolled along the Riverwalk to this big, open park filled with couples laying in the sun and children running around with kites flying in the wind.

We found our spot in the sun and spent over an hour, soaking up the beautiful sunshine and listening to the bell tower chime its music constantly.

There was no where I would rather be for that hour on Saturday April 11th while we were in the park... one of the most relaxing moments of my life. With him.

Egg dyeing.

We came.
We dyed.
We conquered.

Dyeing these eggs tonight at the homestead made me want to visit the Egg Harbor Cafe in downtown Geneva for a little morning brunch... sitting out on the patio in the warm sunlight with Josh, Jenny, and Michael. Good food, good company, beautiful day, cutest shops ever... I'm dying for a repeat experience! Maybe I'll get lucky in downtown Naperville tomorrow.

An apple a day.

You know that term, Michael takes it a step further... he eats the entire apple. This happened on our last road trip to Chicago and I sat there speechless because in all honesty, I've never seen someone eat the entire apple. But he did. And I was sure it was to show off his spontaneous side (since we hadn't been dating all that long....), so I brought apples on this road trip as well.

Two hours into it, I reveal an apple and we share, as always. First my little bite, then his half-the-apple-horse bite... then I tell him to eat the whole thing. And he does, once again. Securing my belief that he is in fact a little crazy. And that's probably why I like him so much. Crazy guys are good in my book.

P.S. You see that little stem sticking out of his mouth?... no he's not that crazy, he threw that out the window because it tasted like dirt.

Diamonds are a girls best friend.

Before I took a nap this afternoon, I was extremely distracted by something shining through the window, almost like a flashlight or bright light reflecting off a mirror. I looked out the window and I couldn't believe THERE WERE DIAMONDS FLOATING ON THE SURFACE OF THE LAKE! I knew this lake was good for something... maybe not for swimming in, maybe not for boating in, but it sure can look pretty gorgeous when it wants to.

Now, if I could just bottle those sparkles up and sell them on the black market, I could make a pretty penny... take that Tiffany & Co.!

Taking it in stride.

Here's the scoop. In case you didn't already know, gum is irreplaceable. Sometimes I try and picture what life was like prior to gum, and it's virtually impossible. Did people chew on mint leaves? Maybe they would go around breathing their toxic breath on each other like a bunch of cavemen. This weekend brings another road trip to Chicago, so of course, I had to stock up on not one, not two, but three packs, in case we get stranded somewhere between here and Batavia, Illinois. Heaven forbid we are left on the side of the road without it. Also, I won't forget my camera this time, to continue my daily photo "Chi-town style". Maybe I'll have to have a double-whammy-daily-photo-weekend since last time we were there I captured zero images (some photographer's daughter I'am).

Luckily I have enough gum for our neverending photo sesh.
and... it's ridiculously long-lasting.

Longnecks anybody?

Pre-game before the Twins game.... yes, please!

Because I missed you.

Physically I had prepared for this, but the only time I really started to feel my long-week-and-overly-tired state was this afternoon when I rounded the corner to the Pascal household kitchen and saw Michael for the first time in nine days. I felt just like Oliver does when he sees me upon entering the house after running errands, like I had been holding my shit together for so long, and finally I was in the company of someone I trusted enough to like me even though I wanted to cry. So it feels really good to have all these emotions toward him that I don't normally experience because of our proximity. I missed everything about him, even the scruffy face and his hair twirling.

Now, what I'm about to say shouldn't be taken the wrong way, although I'm certain a few of you will insist on doing so anyway. But, it feels so good to miss my boyfriend. And not just because I get to sleep in a queen-sized bed every night by myself free from having to dodge cold feet. It's healthy to miss someone. It's a longing that is somehow invigorating, and once where I would have been satisfied that we'd talked two times already on the phone and exchanged countless texts, I find myself getting a text message and hoping it's from him.

During the week I longed to get back to my laptop from whatever I was doing so that I could check my email in the off chance that he had Internet access. Which I am about to do right this second, check my email and see if he slept well, ask if we can make super fun plans for this weekend, and then stop and savor this feeling of missing his strong hands holding mine.

Sunday haircut.

Usually Oliver needs a trim every once in a blue moon. But lately, along with this ridiculous weather, nothing is as it seems. His fur seems to growing at an unusual rate, especially around his chocolate brown eyes. This morning, after reading the not-so-funny comics we took a pair of scissors and chopped some off. Now he can see without looking through his Ozzy Osbourne locks at the unbelievable snow on the ground... on this 5th day of April.

Morning juice.

The convenience of having an espresso machine in your kitchen cannot be explained. Any time, day or night, it's there to make lattes, cold press espresso drinks, what ever you fancy. Sadly, I'm getting to the point where I need some sort of espresso in the morning or I literally cannot function properly. Without it, I'm in a daze and the world moves a little bit slower as I zombie-walk through the motions of everyday life.

When I used to have a hair stylist, she conveniently worked out at the same gym that I do. I just know there have been mornings, sans espresso, when she's seen my walk under the tunnel, my face still imprinted with the outline of my pillow, my hair a nest of unruly tangles, and thought to herself, dear Lord, no wonder that girl hasn't sent me any referrals.

Internationally empowering.

For the longest time I've wanted to be a part of Kiva. Anyone can microfinance loans to developing-world entrepreneurs. It's so easy, yet so fulfilling. This morning I woke up and browsed through a couple pages of entrepreneurs needing money for such businesses as sewing clothes, making wrought iron contraptions, or buying more food for their pig farm... The cool part is your loan gets repaid, and they the cycle starts all over again.

I like to find entrepreneurs that have unique businesses, and children, and cool locations. So please meet, Loimata Ioapo. She is 28-years-old and married with three children, living in Saleapaga, Samoa. Her loan is going towards buying building materials for her business where she builds thatched roof beach houses. :)

cutest little monkeh

look at him holding the zookeepers fingers!!!

Lakeshore property.

Notice the two mallards in the lower-right of the image. They waddled their furry rears up and down our backyard this morning in attempt to survey the estate. I could almost hear their conversation, similar to the one my parents have every other day....:

Female: "I'm not so sure about this location, Herm."

Male: "What's wrong with it honey? We've always dreams of living on a lake."

Female: "Yes, but look at the lakeshore, there is no water or beach, how are we supposed to raise our children here if all they ever do is get stuck in the muck? This is not my idea of a dream home."

Male: "I understand there's a dry spell, but check out the views... the bald eagles soaring above, the expansive woods to the West, we have our own nature oasis right here, to start our new beginning."

Female: "Well, I'm not too excited about paying $13,320 in property taxes for one year alone, where are we going to get that money?"

Male: "I'll pick up a couple shifts at the stockyard. This lakeshore property is a diamond in the rough. I know right now it might not seem like it but sooner or later, Mother Nature will prove that to you."


(footnote: We aren't worried about money in the least, it's just frustrating that the Ramsey County keeps increasing our property taxes as the value on our property, and the water level (coincidentally) keep decreasing.)

X marks the spot.

My quest to donate on a regular basis, plasma or blood, what have you, continues. Apparently I'm only able to fill up a good 3/4 of my bag at the Red Cross today... not enough to count. I apologize to Alpha (yes, that was his name), who had trouble with my little veins. I felt like I wasted your time and was beyond embarrassed that my legs wouldn't stop shaking for even a second. I swear I'm not crazy.

I apologize that I'm not super woman and that my veins weren't pulsing with lighter fluid. Although, I refuse to give up. I will pump iron like I've never pumped before and drink water like a fish. On May 27th, I will be back with a vengeance. Third times a charm, right?